Chicago is one of the best places to experience summer. The city’s street festivals add to the lively atmosphere that can only be found in the Windy City. I have visited other cities during the summer, but I can confidently say that Chicago’s summer events and activities are popular and highly acclaimed for a reason.
If you’re looking for fun things to do in the city during the weekend, especially this summer, be sure to add a street festival to your list.
Check out this guide to get the festival dates and all the details you need to plan the perfect summer in Chicago!
Search street festivals by month:
May
May 4, 2024: Chicago Creatives Festival
May 10, 2024: Manifest Urban Arts Festival
May 11, 2024: Switch on Summer
May 17 – 19, 2024: Chicago Mayfest
May 18 – August 31, 2024: Millennium Park Summer Workouts
May 19, 2024: American Writers Festival
May 24 – 26, 2024: Mole de Mayo Festival
May 25, 2024: Chicago Memorial Day Parade
May 24 – 26, 2024: Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest
May 25 – 26, 2024: Wingout Chicago
May 25 – 26, 2024: Sueños Festival
May 25 – September 29, 2024: Live on the Lake! 2024
May 31 – June 2, 2024: Chicago House Music Festival & Conference
May 31 – June 2, 2024: Do Division Street Fest
May 31 – June 2, 2024: Lincoln Park Greek Fest
May – October 2024: Chicago City Markets
June
June 1, 2024: Chicago Gospel Music Festival
June 1 – 2, 2024: Beyond Wonderland
June 1 – 2, 2024: Windy City Hot Dog Fest
June 1 – 2, 2024: Annual 57th Street Art Fair
June 6 – 9, 2024: Chicago Blues Festival
June 7 – 9, 2024: Andersonville Midsommarfest
June 8 – 9, 2024: Old Town Art Fair
June 8 – 9, 2024: Wells Street Art Festival
June 12 – Aug 17, 2024: Grant Park Music Festival
June 14 – 16, 2024: Ribfest Chicago
June 14 – 16, 2024: Taste of Randolph Street
June 15 – 16, 2024: Gold Coast Art Fair
June 16th & July 14, 2024: Sundays on State Street
June 22 – 23, 2024: Chicago Pride Fest
June 21 – 23, 2024: Summer Smash
June 22 – 23, 2024: Vegandale Fest
June 28 – 30, 2024: Logan Square Arts Festival
June 28 – 30, 2024: Millennium Art Festival
June 28th – 30, 2024: Sundance Institute x Chicago 2024
June – September 2024: Chicago SummerDance
TBD:: Pride In The Park Chicago
July
July 1 – August 8, 2024: Millennium Park Summer Music Series
July 4 – 7, 2024: Rose on the River
July 4 – 7, 2024: African/Caribbean International Festival Of Life
July 6 – 7, 2024: Nascar Chicago Street Race Weekend
July 9 – August 27, 2024: Millennium Park Summer Film Series
July 12 – 14, 2024: Square Roots Craft Brew and Music Festival
July 12 – 14, 2024: Jeff Fest
July 13: Chosen Few DJs Picnic & Music Festival
July 13 – 14, 2024: Southport Art & Music Fest
July 13 – 14, 2024: Miche Festival
July 11 – 14, 2024: Windy City Smokeout
July 18 – 21st, 2024: Millennium Park 20th Anniversary Celebration
July 19th, 2024: Horner Brew Fest
July 19 – 21, 2024: Roscoe Village Burger Fest
July 20 – 21, 2024: Chicago Margarita Festival
July 20 – 21, 2024: Ravenswood On Tap
July 20 – 21, 2024: Chicago Food Truck Festival
July 26 – 28, 2024: Taste of Lincoln Avenue
July 19 – 21, 2024: Pitchfork Music Festival
July 26 – 28, 2024: Ginza Festival
July 27, 2024: Chicago Spring Tequila Tasting Festival
July 27 – 28, 2024: Chinatown Summer Fair
July 25 – 28,2024: Fiesta Del Sol
August
August 1 – 4, 2024: Lollapalooza
August 2 – 4, 2024: Dancing in the Streets
August 10 – 11, 2024: Chicago Air and Water Show
August 10 – 11, 2024: Northalsted Market Days
August 9 – 11, 2024: Retro On Roscoe
August 2 – 4, 2024: Edison Park Fest
August 10, 2024: Bud Billiken Parade
August 10 – 11, 2024: Chicago Air & Water Show
August 24 – 25, 2024: Chicago Triathalon
August 24, 2024: Chalk Howard Street
August 30 – September 1, 2024: North Coast Music Festival
August 30 – September 1, 2024: ARC Music Festival
August 30 – September 2, 2024: Taste of Polonia
August 30 – September 2, 2024: African Festival of the Arts
August 31 – September 1, 2024 West Loop Art Fest
August 29 – September 1, 2024: Chicago Jazz Festival
TBD: Great American Lobster Fest
September
September 6 – 8, 2024: Taste of Chicago
September 6 – 8, 2024: Taste Of Greektown
September 7 – 8, 2024: Printers Row Lit Fest
September 7 – 8, 2024: Sam Adams’ Lakeview Taco Fest
September 14 – 15, 2024: Grito Festival
September 14 – 15, 2024: Lakeview East Festival of the Arts
September 15, 2024: Mexican Independence Parade
September 20 – 21, 2024: West Loop Bavarian Block Party
September 20 – 22, 2024: Riot Fest & Carnival
September 26- 29, 2024: Chicago Gourmet
September 28 – 29, 2024: Hyde Park Jazz Festival
September 27 – 29, 2024: Oktoberfest Chicago
September 20 – 29, 2024: World Music Festival Chicago
October
October 5 – October 6, 2024: Apple Fest
October 4 – 6, 2024: Lincoln Park Wine Festival
October 19 – 20, 2024: Open House Chicago.
Chicago Street Festivals FAQs
Attending a street festival in Chicago is a great way to explore the city and have fun. By using this guide to plan, you can make the most of your festival experience. Here are some other tips to make your festival experience the best yet:
- Bring cash: While most Chicago street festivals are free. Others ask for cash “donations” as an alternative to an entry fee. Be sure to have some on hand so that you can enter the festival with ease.
- Taking public transit: This is the easiest way to get around as streets are often closed down for blocks and even miles in some instances
- Travel Light: Take only the essentials with you to the festival like your phone, sunglasses, an extra charger, and a refillable water bottle. There is often security at festivals and bags will sometimes be checked, so leave any extras or things that you wouldn’t want to lose at home.
- Coordinate a meetup spot: If you plan to attend a festival with a group of friends, determine a designated meetup spot before, during, and after the festival. This is important to establish should someone lose their phone or get “caught up” in the festival spirit.
Even if you are a first-time festival-goer, you should feel confident that you can have a great time now that you know the inside tricks and tips. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and get to the Chicago Street Festival – you won’t regret it!
With this guide, you can’t go wrong with any of Chicago’s street festivals this summer. Need more details on my favorites from the list? Be sure to check out the Best Festivals in Chicago: According to The Haute Seeker
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